Archimedes Penta outboard

[captain_pugwash]

"Hi, can anyone out there prov

"Hi, can anyone out there provide any information on Archimedes Penta outboards? I have a 450 that I have just got started but have no technical information to service and fine tune . Also looking for any supplier of spares.

Cliff"

 

[galamb]

"Cliff, the builder of that pa

"Cliff, the builder of that particular line of outboards was owned off and on by Volvo over the years.

In the 1940's, Electrolux (better known for vaccum cleaners) bought Penta from Volvo (which had already been owned a couple of times before Volvo came into the picture).

They already produced a line of outboards called the Archimedes, which is where the name came from.

The model 450 was manufactured between 1967-74 by Nymans Verkstader (Swedish company) who had bought out the outboard division of Electrolux in the mid 60's. At the time they also built outboards carrying the Monarch and Crescent brand names (so parts from either of those may be compatable, but I don't know since they are rather obscure/unpopular in North America).

In 1973 Volvo bought the whole shebang back again and began marketing outboards under the Volvo Penta nametag in both Europe and North America.

A few individuals have been looking for parts for these on occasion. I personally have contacted Volvo (Penta - North America) and they were of no help stating they were not in the outboard business and could not provide any contact for parts.

I believe someone found parts from a source either in Sweden or Germany but the name totally escapes me at this time.

Sorry that I can't give you much more than a history lesson...."

 

[aberdeennut]

"Hi Graham, Cliff has been in

"Hi Graham, Cliff has been in touch with me and I have given him the info he required he must have got my info off the site, both Sweden and Germany are the main sites for these engines and they still talk about them today.
Kind regards,
Bill."

 

[ddg]

Re: "Hi Graham, Cliff has been in

Archimedes Penta 80 spark problems.
After testing everything else, I'm looking into the ignition bits under the flywheel. I see the front internal ignition coil, grounded at one end, is wired at the other end only to a 2-prong socket on the lower front of the motor. The other socket prong is wired to ground.
What is this socket for? Do I need to make some kind of connector for it? How does this work?

 

[phillnjack]

the last batch of these motors and anything Volvo penta on their outboards were 1979. after that date still plenty about but all old stock.
last big amount of Volvo outbids went to Kuwait !!! then camebak to Europe in 1979 and got sold off.

there is a Volvo penta outboard page on facebook that can and will give advice on these motors.
join these guys, they love the Volvo outboards
penta club Gumbostrand on facebook.

 

[fdimu]

Re: "Hi Graham, Cliff has been in

Archimedes Penta 80 spark problems.
After testing everything else, I'm looking into the ignition bits under the flywheel. I see the front internal ignition coil, grounded at one end, is wired at the other end only to a 2-prong socket on the lower front of the motor. The other socket prong is wired to ground.
What is this socket for? Do I need to make some kind of connector for it? How does this work?

I have a couple of these outboards and believe that connector is power output for lighting.

 

[Jeff hill]

Hi all

Anyone help me with a 252 Archimedes Penta location of water pump and how do I test to see if ok
Manual said check on starboard side .? Found an outlet on port side .

 

[Rdelmenico]

Hi all

Anyone help me with a 252 Archimedes Penta location of water pump and how do I test to see if ok
Manual said check on starboard side .? Found an outlet on port side .

I purchased a 252 Archimedes Penta last summer and have sourced a heap of parts but can't find a manual and can't remove the lower leg. Do you have the manual?

 

[tdan22]

We have a Archimedes Penta 90 in the shop now for overheating/not peeing. I can't find a manual or part number for the waterpump anywhere. Can anyone help?

 

[johnhappyhead]

hello it,s a want , I need some drive pins for Archimedes penta 50 ---5hp I am I down in Cornwall any advice thanks

 

[JackMa]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to this forum and also to boating and outboards, so I hope being here will help me to get up to speed with the basics.
I just bought a second hand Crescent 45 outboard 3 cilynders. Through some internet research I have done, I believe these engines are also known as Archimende Volvo Penta.
It's got good good compression on all 3 cylinders. I have checked this with a compression tester.
However, it doesn't seem to have any sparks on the spark plugs.
I have tried to change the one of the plug, moving it between the coil leads, but still nothing.
I presume there is something wrong with the stator / trigger or with the DCI pack.
See photos of the engine attached.
Can someone help me to understand what I need to do to understand what the issue is?
Does anybody have a service manual that could help me to throubleshoot the issues and understand how the engine works?
Finally, can someone confirm where I should connect the fuel line to? I presume is somewhere to the carburettor?

Many thanks in advance.
Jack

 

[Becca]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to this forum and also to boating and outboards, so I hope being here will help me to get up to speed with the basics.
I just bought a second hand Crescent 45 outboard 3 cilynders. Through some internet research I have done, I believe these engines are also known as Archimende Volvo Penta.
It's got good good compression on all 3 cylinders. I have checked this with a compression tester.
However, it doesn't seem to have any sparks on the spark plugs.
I have tried to change the one of the plug, moving it between the coil leads, but still nothing.
I presume there is something wrong with the stator / trigger or with the DCI pack.
See photos of the engine attached.
Can someone help me to understand what I need to do to understand what the issue is?
Does anybody have a service manual that could help me to throubleshoot the issues and understand how the engine works?
Finally, can someone confirm where I should connect the fuel line to? I presume is somewhere to the carburettor?

Many thanks in advance.
Jack

I had a Archimedes Penta 90 that wasn't sparking. It ended up being the ignition timing levers (unsure of the technical name) that follow a cam on the underside of the flywheel. At the correct time in the rotation, these disconnect from the circuit to create a spark, however, there was corrosion on the contacts so the circuit didn't reclose, meaning that there wasn't enough charge to for the plugs to spark.

There may have been other issues also, as I cleaned up the whole system but this was the thing that was most glaringly wrong (as well as the HT lead connector being corroded).

Clean up the corrosion (a Dremel with a wire brush is very useful), check continuity on your cables & sparks and resistance on your coils.


As for specific info, there isn't a lot about, although there is a couple of Facebook groups.


The fuel line would go on the bottom of the air-fuel separator (plastic bulb thing). It looks like you're missing a connector, which should be fairly easy to replace. If not, this part isn't particularly specific to the engine, so a generic replacement separator will be suitable so long as the mounting holes and fuel line connectors are the same size.

 

[Becca]

We have a Archimedes Penta 90 in the shop now for overheating/not peeing. I can't find a manual or part number for the waterpump anywhere. Can anyone help?

Check your specific sizes but I believe the part numbers you'll need are (one of):
3555413-8
3555413
3551603

I recently ordered one through Pacer Marine (in the UK).

I can't get mine to pee currently but water is definitely circulating through the engine. I think I'm missing a tube for the outlet...

 

[JackMa]

I had a Archimedes Penta 90 that wasn't sparking. It ended up being the ignition timing levers (unsure of the technical name) that follow a cam on the underside of the flywheel. At the correct time in the rotation, these disconnect from the circuit to create a spark, however, there was corrosion on the contacts so the circuit didn't reclose, meaning that there wasn't enough charge to for the plugs to spark.

There may have been other issues also, as I cleaned up the whole system but this was the thing that was most glaringly wrong (as well as the HT lead connector being corroded).

Clean up the corrosion (a Dremel with a wire brush is very useful), check continuity on your cables & sparks and resistance on your coils.


As for specific info, there isn't a lot about, although there is a couple of Facebook groups.


The fuel line would go on the bottom of the air-fuel separator (plastic bulb thing). It looks like you're missing a connector, which should be fairly easy to replace. If not, this part isn't particularly specific to the engine, so a generic replacement separator will be suitable so long as the mounting holes and fuel line connectors are the same size.

Thanks Becca!
I have cleaned all connectors and breaker points and I have managed to get sparks on all spark plugs!!
I have machined the fuel inlet fitting myself. It's a M7x1mm.
I now need the flywheel nut, since the thread of the original one is ruined.
I bought a M14x1.5mm nut, but it doesn't fit. I presume it's a M14 fine pitch, so M14x 1.25mm.
Can somebody confirm if this is the right thread for the nut or if it's an imperial one?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JackMa]

Hi All,
sorry for the radio silence but it took me a while to get to this point.
The good news is that the motor is now running!!
The flywheel nut was a M14X1.5mm in the end. The first one I bought wasn't M14X1.5mm, the seller sent me the wrong size.
Now I have another problem. I have no water flowing out from the exhaust relief, but only from the rubber hose that connects the bottom of the exhaust cover to the copper pipe that goes all the way down to the water pump (see photos attached for reference).
I have been told that for this motor water should only come out from the exhaust relief and not from the rubber hose on the side.
I was wondering if anybody can confirm this.
I have disassembled the exhaust cover to check its condition and it seem fine, I can't see any signs of blockage (see photos attached for reference).
I hope somebody can provide some guidance on this matter.

Thanks in advance.
Jack

 

[Becca]

Have you let the engine warm up? There's a thermostat on the exhaust (the springy thing) that won't open until it's warm.

Check the thermostat is working by removing and putting in a small tub of near boiling water and you should see it open.

Is your impeller pumping water? You can check this by removing the lower part of the shaft and driving the prop shaft with a drill whilst submerged in water. Be sure to keep the gear selector shaft in the gearbox, otherwise you'll be mixing your transmission oil with water and creating an absolutely foul-tasting mayo...

Also, I'm impressed you've got the engine running on Highland Spring mineral water - mine barely functions properly on E10 petrol!!!

 

[JackMa]

Thanks @Becca.

Also, I'm impressed you've got the engine running on Highland Spring mineral water - mine barely functions properly on E10 petrol!!!

I know.... but it was the only thing I had to put petrol in

I didn't let the engine run for a long time because I was afraid that I would cause some damages as I couldn't see water coming out from the exhaust relief.
I also didn't test the thermostat the way you describe.
I think the impeller works as water comes out from the rubber hose (as shown in the photos shared in my previous post) and this water flow increases when I accelerate.
Is your motor now working properly and peeing water as it should? If that's the case, what was the issue?

Thanks in advance.
Jack

 

[Becca]

Thanks @Becca.


I know.... but it was the only thing I had to put petrol in

I didn't let the engine run for a long time because I was afraid that I would cause some damages as I couldn't see water coming out from the exhaust relief.
I also didn't test the thermostat the way you describe.
I think the impeller works as water comes out from the rubber hose (as shown in the photos shared in my previous post) and this water flow increases when I accelerate.
Is your motor now working properly and peeing water as it should? If that's the case, what was the issue?

Thanks in advance.
Jack

Yeah, it sounds like you just haven't got the engine warm enough.

If that doesn't work, you could remove the thermostat, reassemble and then check again that the engine pees properly. The thermostat only ensures that the engine warms up quickly enough - by being open/removed, it won't harm the engine if you only run it for a minute (unless it also acts as an exhaust gasket) but it may not run as smoothly.

I'm pretty sure my model of outboard doesn't pee a stream, just has a hole that shows some water coming out, along with exhaust gas. I have recently bought a Crescent 85 (80? 90? Something like that?) which appears to be exactly the same, just rebranded. No idea if it works/will work yet, as it's just been sitting in the back of my truck for the last couple of weeks.

As for my Archimedes, it ran okay when I took it on the water but it bogged a bit when the throttle was open. I did a lot more work on it and it seems to be running better now but still got to put the casing back on and give it a proper trial run.

Hope yours works great when you get it on the water!

 

[JackMa]

Thanks @Becca.
I will try to play with the thermostat to see if it solves my issue.
I will provide some updates in due time.

 

[JackMa]

@Becca I have removed thermostat, started the motor and the problem disappeared!! I finally have water coming out from the exhaust relief and the rubber hose
I have also tested the thermostat with some very hot water and it works properly.
So, your diagnosis was spot on!! Thanks very much for your help!

One more thing I noticed is that lifting the motor up and turning it left and right is very hard. I tried to untighten the bolts at each side of the outboard (see photo for reference) but it didn't make any difference. Any suggestions?

Thanks.
Jack

 

[mackyonhe]

Hi all sorry for jumping on this thread I have just picked up a Cresent 14 which is the same as the Archimedes 14 and Volvo penta 140 when I try and pull start it is spinning a little then I get a loud clang and it stops spinning the flywheel could this be the starter pawl/ wings/ dogs and if so does anyone know a part number for them please